The black coral Stauropathes staurocrada, here being checked out by a seastar, (Pteraster reticulatus) at 1650 meters depth on North Maro Ridge, was first discovered off Penguin Bank, Hawaii, during a Pisces V dive in 1996.
Black Coral with Seastar
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2015 Hohonu Moana. Download larger version (jpg, 1.4 MB).

The black coral Stauropathes staurocrada, here being checked out by a seastar, (Pteraster reticulatus) at 1650 meters depth on North Maro Ridge, was first discovered off Penguin Bank, Hawaii, during a Pisces V dive in 1996.

Learn more